Luna, by Julie Anne Peters, is a literary fiction novel for young adults. Regan, a fifteen-year old girl, has a transgender brother, Luna/Liam. Regan wrestles with the burden of protecting her brothers' secret and is the only one who fully understands who, and why, he is a girl on the inside. Liam is a seventeen year old senior in high school who takes honour papers in Physics, while Regan has trouble figuring out Chem I and her lab partner. When Liam meets another TG, or transgirl, over the internet, he decides it is time to transition. That is, to become a girl on the outside. Will Luna manage to emerge from her chrysalis and reveal herself to everyone who accepts her as a boy? Regan struggles with her brothers' decision and his overeliance on her to keep him protected, all the while juggling school and her personal life.
In my opinion, Luna is ideal for young people to understand and empathise (not sympathise) with transgenders and their personal conflicts. Usually transgenders are regarded as outcasts, ostracised and discriminated against. Young people, especially Singaporeans, need to be more aware of their needs, and it may inspire teens with similar conflicts to come to terms with themselves, or if they wish, transition. I recommend this book to all teens, or maybe even adults who wish to identify with Liam, as it is an enlightening read.
